FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus of the present invention relates generally to material transfer devices and more particularly to an improved method and article of handling substrates within a substrate transport.
The material transferred might include, but not be limited to, semiconductor wafers, such as silicone and gallium arsenide, semiconductor packaging substrates, such as high density interconnects, semiconductor manufacturing processing imaging plates, such as masks or reticles, and large area displayed panels, such as active matrix LCD substrates.
The need for high throughput transport devices which can move a substrate or workpiece between remote locations within a highly confined footprint such as found in the manufacture of wafers or panels or the like used in the semiconductor industry is in high demand. This is because in the process of manufacturing such panels, wafers or the like, the need to move a workpiece from one position to the next not only requires that a high throughput rate be achieved, but also that maximum throughput between component elements of the tool be effected. In this way, processing time for a given number of substrates can be maximized for a given tool.
Copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/654,334 filed in the name of Hendrickson, filed on May 28, 1996 and entitled, A System for Heating or Cooling Wafers, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,827 entitled A Passive Gas Substrate Thermoconditioning Apparatus and Method, issued on Dec. 31, 1996 to Richard Muka, disclose a substrate transport having a main vacuum transport chamber to which a temperature transfer station is mounted. Thus, it is known in the art to connect an individual substrate thermoconditioning module to a side of the substrate transport outside of the main transport chamber. Also, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/891,532 filed under Express Mail No. EM029241165 U.S. and entitled A Substrate Processing Apparatus Having A Substrate Transport with a Front End Extension and an Internal Substrate Buffer, filed on Jul. 11, 1997 in the name of David Beaulie and Michael W. Pippins, discloses a method and apparatus for forming an integrated platform in which a wafer cooler is provided. However, the device disclosed in this patent application has an extended footprint as it uses separate elements, namely, a cooler 36, a buffer, and load locks to effect three different functions for the three separate elements. However, the fabrication and usage of the three elements occupies much needed additional footprint space which otherwise could be used for other process modules and/or cluster tools in the substrate fabrication process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a dual plate gas assisted heater module which is capable of transporting substrates in a vacuum environment for processing and then back to a factory interface in a manner such that no damage occurs due to thermal shock or nonuniformity in the substrate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type wherein the cost of fabrication is reduced by efficiency of the design and construction.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type which is reduced in complexity of drive mechanisms and controls.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide substrate heating module of the aforementioned type which reduces vacuum volume thereby reducing the amount of pumping capability required to maintain adequate vacuum in the system.
Yet still a further object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type wherein the manufacturing time, complexity of construction, alignment in time testing are reduced.
Further still an object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type wherein service and reliability as well as reduced system time throughput are enhanced.